Promises
by Dream Theme
Summary: After a particularly gruelling ghost fight, Valerie and Danny talk.


**This is just something I did for last year's show anniversary. It was slightly rushed and I had no idea where I was going with it particularly but I forgot to upload here. So I'm doing that now. I'm sorry for any odd line breaks.**

***Disclaimer* Butch Hartman owns DannyPhantom**

Valerie's hands were shaking. Adrenaline was still making its way through her veins, which made what she was doing very difficult. She told herself it was the adrenaline anyway. She had a sneaking suspicion that part of it was fear. Fear that she wasn't doing it right, that she would do more bad than good. They were silent as she stitched up the wounds in his back, except for the occasional hiss of pain. It seemed to be hours before she was finished with the needle. One final _snip_ to cut the end of the thread and she breathed a sigh of relief. All she had to do now was bandage up the wounds and they'd be properly finished. She could go home to Emerston and he could go back to FentonWorks.  
Danny Fenton lifted up his arms so she could wrap the fabric around his body easier. It was only when she began tying the ends together that the silence was broken.  
"Thank you, Val." He whispered, voice barely audible. She paused, but only for a second. The knot finished, she went to sit next to him. He had been off for the whole fight. She thought it was because the ghost they had fought together was one that neither had seen before. She thought it was because he needed to concentrate so he could work out the ghost's weaknesses, but even that explanation sounded a bit weak to her.

"Its no problem, Danny. You're my friend." She nudged him a little, "I couldn't let you bleed all the way to death," then laughed. He glanced at her, but didn't even smile. His legs were swinging off the edge of the building. They were far from the ground but that didn't faze either of them. Danny looked back down, as though contemplating jumping and letting himself fall. He sighed in frustration.  
"No, I didn't mean… not for this, but yeah, thank you for this as well."  
"For what then? Helping you with that ghost? 'Cause you don't need to tha-" She stopped. He looked… broken. She took the opportunity to look at him. Really look at him. Dark bags circled his eyes. A bruise was beginning to form round his neck, finger marks painfully obvious. She knew from past experience that the bruise would be gone within a day though. He had crazy fast healing. His torso was littered with burn and claw scars. In this human form, he seemed scrawnier, smaller than his ghost half. At his sides, his fists clenched.  
"Thank you for protecting Amity Park." His said hoarsely. Val noticed his voice was deeper than it used to be. Though she suspected he was purposefully making his voice higher for whatever reason.

"No need to thank me for that. This place is my home too. No stinking ghosts are gonna wreck my-" She stopped again, this time because it looked like Danny had sobbed silently. Teeth clenched, he spoke again.  
"For protecting Amity Park from _me_." The silence that followed that statement seemed to stretch on forever. Valerie didn't know how to respond. She thought they'd been over this. She knew now that Danny Phantom wasn't the menace she had originally believed him to be. She understood everything. Had she been too late understanding? Had she pushed him so much that he had started believing what she used to?  
"Danny… I never needed to. I was the one in the wrong." She wanted to say more but she didn't know what. Danny started shaking his head.  
"Since we called that truce and I told you who I was… I've just been thinking about it. That time. It doesn't exist anymore, but he still does. He could still happen." He brought his legs up and wrapped his arms around them, staring through his bangs at the sky, "I- he obliterated everything, but Amity Park. It was still here. But not because he didn't try. You," he looked at her, "you stopped him. Me. You protected everyone from me." The intensity of his gaze surprised Val. She had no idea what he was talking about, but he believed it, whatever he was saying.  
"What are you talking about?"

"Just promise me that no matter what happens, you'll do what is necessary. I don't want to-" he frowned, "I don't want to become _him_. Ever. I need to know that you won't hold back against me if I start destroying things for the sake of destruction."  
"Danny…"  
"Promise!" The desperation in his voice was so clear to her, but she couldn't do it.  
"But I don't even know what I'm promising!" she yelled back, "How am I supposed to promise anything when I don't understand!" Danny backed down at that. He brought his hand to head and pulled it through some tangles in his hair. He sighed.  
"It's hard to explain. Just… if I ever turn evil, kill me. I wouldn't ask, but I'm scared. Sam and Tucker… they couldn't do it. They've known me too long." He wasn't looking at her again. Valerie couldn't believe it. Why would he turn evil? Danny was talking nonsense, but… there was something in his voice, in the way he spoke, that made her believe what he was saying.  
"And what makes you think I could?" She replied gently, "I don't think I could kill you. You're my friend." He smiled slightly.

"I know, but I've seen you hunt. You've improved a lot by the way. You don't rely on your anger anymore." She snorted at that, a little amused, but more offended. "Well, it's true. You would be cold. You'd be able to see me as just another ghost intent on destroying things. Sam and Tucker… all they'd be able to see is me." There was a pause before he spoke up again, "I'm trusting you with my life and I know I can do that without regret." She stiffened a bit at that comment, but then anger flooded her.

"You. You stupid, stupid _idiot_, Fenton!" She stood up and grabbed her helmet. Just before she put it on, she glanced at her friend and saw him staring at her with wide eyes. The screen activated and she saw all the usual signs that the suit was working fully. "What? Don't look so shocked! Did you expect you could spring something like that on me and we could move on from that?! You asked me to _kill_ you!"  
"I didn't mean righ-"  
"No! You listen to me! I will make your stupid promise if it means that much to you! But don't dare for a second think that it wouldn't hurt me!" She laughed humorlessly, "Cold? You think I could look at my best friend and want to kill him? Ha! I've spent too much time around you to just 'think of you as another ghost'!"

"Val, please… I didn't mean it like that!"

"Really? Because it sure sounded like it!" She activated her board and shook her head. "I'm going home before I just shoot you now. See you at school, Fenton." Danny stared after her as she flew away, a bewildered look on his face. She was surprised to feel tears falling down her cheeks as she soared to her home. She angrily shook the tears away and thought of her dad. He would have noticed she was gone by now. He would be waiting in her room for her return. She didn't want him to see her like this. She was angry and still crying. She had to make sure he left her room before she took her suit off. She had to-  
All her resolve left her when she saw him standing there at the window, arms crossed. She opened her arms wide and flew right into him. He stumbled, surprised at the impromptu hug, but he wrapped his arms around his sobbing daughter. Her anger wasn't gone, but she didn't know how else to channel it. Mr Gray didn't say anything. He didn't ask her what was wrong. And she was grateful for that. He just stood there, stroking her hair in a soothing manner.

"Daddy."  
"Hmm?"

"Sorry I was out so late." Then she hugged him tighter.

/wv/welcome-to-the-freakshow


End file.
